Calling party ringtone selection in telephone system

ABSTRACT

A ringtone system is provided to a called party that wishes to have a particular ringtone annunciated for each of several types of calls from calling parties. In the ringtone system, for a call from a calling party, the calling party is prompted to identify the type of the call. The type of the call is received from the calling party, and if no type is received, the call is typed in a particular manner. A list of types of calls with respect to and as specified by the called party is maintained, where each type of call on the list has a corresponding ringtone specified therefor. The typed call is processed by determining from the list of types of calls for the called party the corresponding ringtone specified for the typed call, and by putting the call through to the called party with the determined ringtone.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a telephone system where a callingparty can select a ringtone to be played at a telephone or the like of acalled party. More particularly, the present invention relates to atelephone service enabled by the called party to allow the calling partyto select a ringtone to be played.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In recent years, a number of new telephone service features have beenprovided by an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN). The AIN evolved outof a need to increase the capabilities of the telephone networkarchitecture in order to meet the growing needs of telephone customersor users. Additionally, as the number of people who rely on the Internetfor communication increases, so does the demand for the electronictransfer of data.

Referring now to FIG. 1, it is seen that an AIN-based networkarrangement is provided within and/or in conjunction with each ofseveral wire line telephone system LATAs (Local Access and TransportArea) 101, each of which defines a calling service area. Note that asimilar arrangement is also provided with and/or in conjunction with awireless telephone system. Each LATA 101 (only one being shown inFIG. 1) includes stations (i.e. telephone lines and telephone equipmentat the ends thereof) 103 and corresponding service switching points(SSPs) 105 at end offices or central offices. The SSPs 105 are eachprogrammable switches which: recognize AIN-type calls; launch queries toservice control points (SCPs) 107 (only one being shown in FIG. 1); andreceive commands and data from SCPs 107 to further process and routeAIN-type calls within and between the LATAs 101. A signal transfer point(STP) 109 may be employed to route signals between the SSPs 105, theSCPs 107, and other network elements. When one of the SSPs 105 istriggered by an AIN-type call, the triggered SSP 105 formulates an AINservice request for a particular AIN element such as an SCP 107, sendsthe request to the element, receives a response including callprocessing instructions from the element, and acts in accordance withthe received call processing instructions.

An AIN trigger may be associated with a called party and an SSP 105thereof or a called party and an SSP 105 thereof. One type of event thatmay be arranged to set off an AIN trigger in an SSP 105 or the like is acall from a calling party to a called party where the called party hasarranged for a telephone service to be performed prior to having thecall put through. Here, the trigger is associated with the SSP 105 ofthe called party, and the service may be any sort of service, such asfor example a service to check first to see if the line of the calledparty is busy, and if so to forward the call to an alternate number oran answering service.

Typically, a call when put through to a called party causes a signal tobe annunciated (a ringtone to be played, e.g.) at the telephone or thelike of the called party, whereby the signal/ringtone (hereinafter,‘ringtone’) alerts the called party to the call and the called party mayanswer same. In the case of a wire line telephone system, the ringtoneis typically generated by the end office or central office associatedwith the called party, and in the case of a wireless telephone system,the ringtone is typically generated at the telephone or the like inresponse to a ringtone generation command from a switching center or thelike. Typically, the ringtone played is always the same ringtoneregardless of the nature of the telephone call, even when the calledparty can select the ringtone.

When a calling party calls a called party, then, the called party ispresented with the same ringtone regardless of whether the call isroutine, special, urgent, an emergency, or the like. As should beappreciated, however, the called party may instead wish to be presentedwith a different ringtone for each of several types of calls, so thatthe called party may have an opportunity to decide to answer each callbased on the nature of the call as represented by the ringtone presentedfor such call.

Accordingly, a need exists for a method and mechanism by which thecalled party can in fact be provided with a different ringtone for eachof several types of calls, and may indeed have an opportunity to decideto answer each call based on the nature of the call as represented bythe ringtone presented for such call. More particularly, a need existsfor such a method and mechanism by which the calling party is given anopportunity to specify a type for the call, and based on the typespecified a particular ringtone is presented to the called party.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention satisfies the aforementioned need by providing aringtone system implemented as a ringtone service to a called party by atelephone service provider of the called party. The called party wishesto have a particular ringtone annunciated for each of several types ofcalls from calling parties and subscribes to the ringtone service asprovided by the telephone service provider. The ringtone servicedetermines the type of each call and annunciates the correspondingringtone to the called party.

In the ringtone system, for a call from a calling party, the callingparty is prompted to identify the type of the call. The type of the callis received from the calling party, and if no type is received, the callis typed in a particular manner. A list of types of calls with respectto and as specified by the called party is maintained, where each typeof call on the list has a corresponding ringtone specified therefor. Thetyped call is processed by determining from the list of types of callsfor the called party the corresponding ringtone specified for the typedcall, and by putting the call through to the called party with thedetermined ringtone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary as well as the following detailed description ofthe present invention will be better understood when read in conjunctionwith the appended drawings. For the purpose of the illustrating theinvention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which arepresently preferred. As should be understood, however, the invention isnot limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. Inthe drawings:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a typical AIN-based telephone networksuch as may be employed in connection with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a calling party calling a called partyby way of a telephone service provider of the called party, where thecalled party subscribes to a ringtone system in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram showing steps performed in connection with thecall from the calling party to the called party of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals are used toindicate like elements throughout, there is shown in FIG. 2 a ringtonesystem 10 for providing a ringtone service that identifies each ofseveral different types of calls to a called party 12 from any callingparty 14 by presenting a particular ringtone or other annunciation tothe called party based on the type of call. Typically, the ringtonesystem 10 is implemented as a service to the called party 14 by thetelephone service provider 16 of the called party 14, and is at leastpartially implemented at an SSP 105 or central office administered bythe telephone service provider 16. The ringtone system 10 may beAIN-based or non-AIN based without departing from the spirit and scopeof the present invention.

Notably, and as mentioned above, a ringtone is merely one category ofannunciation that may be employed. In fact, any other category ofannunciation may also be employed without departing from the spirit andscope of the present invention. For example, the annunciation may be anysort of sound including bells, whistles, spoken material, etc., any sortof visual presentation including lights of one or more colors and orsequences, etc., or the like. Significantly, the annunciation orringtone, whatever it may be (hereinafter, ‘ringtone’), has the effectof alerting the called party to the call and the called party maythereby decide to answer same.

Also notably, and as also mentioned above, the ringtone may be generatedby at an end office/central office/switching center or the like or maybe generated at the telephone or the like in response to a ringtonegeneration command from an end office/central office/switching center orthe like without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention.

In one embodiment of the present invention, when a calling party 12calls a called party 14, the ringtone system 10 determines what type thecall may be classified as and based on the type of call presents thecalled party 14 with a ringtone corresponding to such type of call. Notethat each type of call may be any type of call without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the present invention, and may be defined by thecalled party 14 and/or the ringtone system 10. For example, the types ofcalls may include normal calls, urgent calls, emergency calls,non-urgent calls, calls from relatives and/or friends, calls frombusiness associates, calls from strangers, calls from telemarketers,calls from solicitors, and the like.

Correspondingly, each corresponding ringtone may be any appropriateringtone without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention, and may be defined by the called party 14 and/or the ringtonesystem 10. For example, the ringtone for a normal call may be a normaltrill or warble, while the ringtone for an emergency or urgent call maybe an extended trill and the ringtone for a non-emergency or non-urgentcall may be a shortened trill. Similarly, the ringtone for calls fromrelatives and/or friends and/or business associates may include acrescendo sound while the ringtone for calls from strangers,telemarketers, solicitors, and the like may include a doom sound.Accordingly, and based on the ringtone presented with a particular call,the called party 14 may have an opportunity to decide to answer the callbased on the type of the call as represented by the ringtone presentedfor such call.

In the case where the called party 14 defines the ringtone for each typeof call, such called party 14 may so define and modify the ringtones inany appropriate manner without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe present invention. For example, each called party 14 may define orhave defined therefor a corresponding list 18 of the ringtones andcorresponding types of calls by way of a computer connected to theringtone system 10 over a network such as the Internet (not shown), ormay define the list 18 by accessing the ringtone system 10 over thetelephone network by way of a specified telephone number. Likewise, theringtones themselves may be defined by the called party 14 and/or may beselected by the called party 14 from pre-defined ringtones establishedby the telephone service provider 16 and/or the ringtone system 10.

In one embodiment of the present invention, ringtone system 10 itselfdetermines the type of a particular call, at least in some instances.For example, the ringtone system 10 may determine from availableinformation that a call is coming from a doctor, a hospital, a policestation, or the like, and automatically identify the call as anemergency call. Similarly, the ringtone system 10 may determine fromavailable information that a call is coming in from a long distanceduring the dinner hour from behind a private switch and automaticallyidentify the call as coming from a stranger, a solicitor, or atelemarketer.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the ringtone system 10determines that a call is from a calling party 12 previously identifiedby the called party 14 as being a friend or acquaintance, andautomatically identifies the call as coming therefrom. To enable such asituation, it may be that each called party 14 can define acorresponding list 20 of privileged calling parties 12, again by way ofa computer connected to the ringtone system 10 over a network such asthe Internet (not shown), or by accessing the ringtone system 10 overthe telephone network by way of a specified telephone number.

Such list 20 may be based on the telephone number or telephone numbersof each privileged calling party 12, and may specify a type of call forthe privileged calling party 12. Alternatively, being on the list 20 mayin itself type the call in a particular manner. Thus, the telephonenumber of the calling party 12 as presented to the telephone serviceprovider 16 of the called party 14 may be forwarded to the ringtonesystem 10 and compared to the list 20 of the called party 14 todetermine whether the calling party 12 has been specified by the calledparty 12 as being privileged, and if so a corresponding ringtone may bepresented to the called party. Of course, the list 20 may be based onindicia other than the telephone number of the calling party 12 withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

In the instance where the ringtone system 10 cannot or does notdetermine a particular type of a call from a calling party 12, theringtone system may prompt the calling party 12 to identify such a type,perhaps by an audio prompt, and the calling party 12 may identify thetype of the call, perhaps by keying in a menu selection on a telephonekeypad. Notably, if the calling party 14 refuses to identify a type forthe call, the ringtone system 10 may choose to type the call in apredetermined manner, such as of a low priority, or may choose to refuseto put the call through. As may be appreciated, such handling may bedefined by the calling party 14.

In one embodiment of the present invention, and referring now to FIG. 3,a method for processing a call from a calling party 12 to a called party14 by way of the ringtone system 10 and the list 20 is as follows:

The process begins when a calling party 12 places a call to a calledparty 14 at a telephone service provider 16, where the called party 14subscribes to the ringtone system 10 and may maintain the lists 18and/or 20 such as were set forth above (step 301). In the normal course,the call is routed to the telephone service provider 18 of the calledparty 14 (step 303), where it is noted by way of a trigger or the likethat the called party 14 subscribes to the ringtone system 10 (step305). Accordingly, and in accordance with the ringtone system 10, thecall is examined to determine a type therefor (step 307).

In particular, the ringtone system 10 may determine whether the type ofthe call can be identified by from available information (step 307 a).If so, the typed call is processed, and if not, the ringtone system 10determines whether the call is from a calling party 12 previouslyidentified by the called party 14 in the list 20 for such called party14 (step 307 b). If so, the call is typed according to the calling party12 being on the list 20 and is processed, and if not, the ringtonesystem 10 prompts the calling party 12 to identify such a type, perhapsby an audio prompt (step 307 c). If the calling party 12 identifies thetype of the call, perhaps by keying in a menu selection on a telephonekeypad, the typed call is processed, and if not, the ringtone system 10un-typed call is processed by being typed in a particular manner, suchas for example of a low priority, or by being terminated (step 309).

In any event, once the ringtone system 10 types a call, the typed callis processed by determining from the list 18 for the called party 14 aparticular ringtone to be employed to annunciate the call to the calledparty 14 by way of a telephone or the like thereof (step 311).Thereafter, the ringtone system 10 puts the call through to the calledparty 14 with the particular ringtone (step 313). In the case where theringtone is generated by the end office, central office, switchingcenter, or the like associated with the called party 14, the ringtonesystem 10 sends a ringtone generation command to such end office,central office, switching center, or the like to generate the ringtone,and in the case where the ringtone is generated at the telephone or thelike, the ringtone system 10 sends the ringtone generation command tothe telephone of the called party 14 by way of such end office, centraloffice, switching center, or the like. In either instance, the receiverof the generation command should be configured to understand and obeythe command.

The programming necessary to effectuate the processes performed inconnection with the present invention is relatively straight-forward andshould be apparent to the relevant programming public. Accordingly, suchprogramming is not attached hereto. Any particular programming, then,may be employed to effectuate the present invention without departingfrom the spirit and scope thereof.

In the foregoing description, it can be seen that the present inventioncomprises a new and useful method and mechanism by which the calledparty 14 subscribing to the ringtone system 10 or service can identifyprivileged calling parties 12 that are not required to be screened bythe privacy service 10. More particularly, the present inventioncomprises a new and useful ringtone system 10 and method by which acalled party 14 can be provided with a different ringtone for each ofseveral types of calls, and therefore has an opportunity to decide toanswer each call based on the nature of the call as represented by theringtone presented for such call. The calling party 12 is wither typedor is given an opportunity to specify a type for the call, and based onthe type a particular ringtone is presented to the called party 14. Itshould be appreciated that changes could be made to the embodimentsdescribed above without departing from the inventive concepts thereof.Notably, the present invention is equally applicable to wire line andwireless telephone systems. It should be understood, therefore, thatthis invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed,but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope ofthe present invention as defined by the appended claims.

1. A ringtone system implemented as a ringtone service to a called partyby a telephone service provider of the called party, the called partywishing to have a particular ringtone annunciated for each of severaltypes of calls from calling parties and subscribing to the ringtoneservice as provided by the telephone service provider, the ringtoneservice for determining the type of each call and annunciating thecorresponding ringtone to the called party, the ringtone systemincluding: means in connection with a call from a calling party forprompting the calling party to identify the type of the call, forreceiving the type of the call from the calling party, and for, if notype is received, typing the call in a particular manner; a list oftypes of calls with respect to and as specified by the called party,each type of call on the list having a corresponding ringtone specifiedtherefor; and means for processing the typed call by determining fromthe list of types of calls for the called party the correspondingringtone specified for the typed call, and for putting the call throughto the called party with the determined ringtone.
 2. The ringtone systemof claim 1 comprising means for prompting the calling party by way of anaudio prompt to identify the type of the call, for receiving the type ofthe call from the calling party by way of a menu selection keyed in on atelephone keypad, and for, if no type is received, typing the call in aparticular manner.
 3. The ringtone system of claim 1 comprising meansfor prompting the calling party to identify the type of the call, forreceiving the type of the call from the calling party, and for, if notype is received, typing the call as being one of a low priority and forbeing terminated.
 4. The ringtone system of claim 1 further comprisingmeans in connection with the call from a calling party for determiningwhether the type of the call can be identified from availableinformation, and if so for typing the call based on the availableinformation, the system comprising the means for prompting the callingparty if the call cannot otherwise be typed.
 5. The ringtone system ofclaim 1 further comprising a list of privileged calling parties withrespect to and as specified by the called party, and means in connectionwith the call from a calling party for determining whether the callingparty is on the list of privileged calling parties for the called party,and if so for typing the call according to the calling party being onthe list of privileged calling parties, the system comprising the meansfor prompting the calling party if the call cannot otherwise be typed.6. The ringtone system of claim 5 comprising means for determiningwhether the calling party is on the list of privileged calling partiesfor the called party, and if so for typing the call according to a typespecified for the calling party on the list of privileged callingparties.
 7. The ringtone system of claim 5 comprising means fordetermining whether the calling party is on the list of privilegedcalling parties for the called party, and if so for typing the callaccording to a type specified for all calling parties on the list ofprivileged calling parties.
 8. A method in connection with a ringtonesystem implemented as a ringtone service to a called party by atelephone service provider of the called party, the called party wishingto have a particular ringtone annunciated for each of several types ofcalls from calling parties and subscribing to the ringtone service asprovided by the telephone service provider, the ringtone service fordetermining the type of each call and annunciating the correspondingringtone to the called party, the method including in connection with acall from a calling party: prompting the calling party to identify thetype of the call; receiving the type of the call from the calling party;typing the call in a particular manner if no type is received;processing the typed call by determining from a list of types of callsfor the called party a corresponding ringtone specified for the typedcall; and putting the call through to the called party with thedetermined ringtone.
 9. The method of claim 8 comprising prompting thecalling party by way of an audio prompt to identify the type of thecall, and receiving the type of the call from the calling party by wayof a menu selection keyed in on a telephone keypad.
 10. The method ofclaim 8 comprising typing the call if no type is received as being oneof a low priority and for being terminated.
 11. The method of claim 8further comprising determining whether the type of the call can beidentified from available information, and if so typing the call basedon the available information, the method comprising prompting thecalling party if the call cannot otherwise be typed.
 12. The method ofclaim 8 further comprising determining whether the calling party is on alist of privileged calling parties for the called party, and if sotyping the call according to the calling party being on the list ofprivileged calling parties, the method comprising prompting the callingparty if the call cannot otherwise be typed.
 13. The method of claim 12comprising, if the calling party is on the list of privileged callingparties for the called party, typing the call according to a typespecified for the calling party on the list of privileged callingparties.
 14. The method of claim 12 comprising, if the calling party ison the list of privileged calling parties for the called party, typingthe call according to a type specified for all calling parties on thelist of privileged calling parties.